Helping Clients to Tackle the Cost of Living

Course Overview

According to public records, there is an estimated £15 billion worth of welfare assistance unclaimed from the Treasury each year. With the cost of living crisis, we now face an unprecedented number of people who cannot afford to pay for their day to day living needs.  In this course you'll learn the fundamental checks you can take to help increase your clients' and reduce their spend, all without compromising lifestyle choices.

This will allow clients to have more of a surplus in income which in turn has substantial cost savings for those recovering debts. This generic course is an essential for front line staff who support people with welfare assistance, benefits, and council tax. It's also useful fororganisations who want to offer more support for staff. By reducing financial worries and the associated stress and anxiety that go with them you can have a positive impact on the emotional wellbeing of your people.

What you'll learn: 

 By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:

     ·        Understand how welfare reforms have adversely impacted customers

·        Comprehend the scale of the financial worries customers are faced with

·        Recognise how the cost of living crisis impacts customers day to day lives

·        Impacts of customers’ financial worries on health, businesses & organisations

·        Understand how to carry out a benefits review and what to check

·        Learn about different financial support schemes available and eligibility

·        Approach a conversation about increasing earnings/capital

·        Understand how expenses can be reduced and the 3 main areas to consider     

·        Examine the ways in which council tax can be reduced

·        Personal Budgeting; how to do it correctly and mistakes to avoid

·        A masterplan on maximising excess income

·        How these solutions can benefit all stakeholders involved

 Who's it for?

 There are no formal pre-requisites for this course; the course is equally suited to new staff as an induction and to more experienced staff who need to update their skills:

·        Housing Benefit staff

·        Council Tax Staff

·        Debt Collection advisors

·        Homeless prevention

·        Charitable organisations

·        Front line staff working in any capacity relating to financial support

·        Financial Inclusion

·        Team Leaders and Managers 

·        Those looking to proactively prevent poverty and promote health/wellbeing